History of the Calvados

If the apple has the History that we know (...), the cider seems to be known notably by the Greeks and the Hebrews since the earliest antiquity. When did the cider become Norman ?

Even in the scriptures of the Roman Gaul time, the numerous apple trees growing in Normandy are mentioned, as well as a beverage made of coocked apples.

The knowledge and the use of the brandy dates back to very ancient times : it seems to have been created by the Arabians, and was brought in Europa thanks to the invasions they led towards Poitiers during the VIII th century. It was mostly produced from wine at the beginning, and became cider brandy as the Norman reduced the winegrowing at the end of the Middle Age.

First "official recognizing" in 1553, a treatise about the distillation of the ciders brandies not yet called Calvados, written by Lord of Gouberville, a gentleman living in the Cotentin.

The Story (or the legend ?) mentions the wreck of a vessel called El Savador which was part of the Invincible Armada. The place where the wreck took place was called with the vessel's name, which became El Calvador and at last "le Calvados". This name was given to the department for its creation in 1790.